No-Knead Crusty Bread (new recipe)

I came across this recipe when I was searching the web for new bread recipes.  I first found it on the King Arthur flour blog, "Baking Banter", it was labeled "The crunchiest-crackliest-chewiest-lightest-easiest bread you'll ever bake"!  So coming from KA, it was definitely worth a second look.

I then, discovered that the recipe is adapted from an original recipe by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François, whose book, "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day," is the inspiration for this recipe.  It turns out that they have teamed up with Red Star Yeast and have a nice video and they also have a blog which gives more recipes.

As you might know, I love baking bread and loved the concept of the Jim Lahey's No-knead recipe. This new recipe, however, makes a multiple batch, but can be left in the fridge to develop flavor and can baked a piece at a time whenever needed - no pun intended!  I started my first attempt at bedtime and left it in the fridge overnight, so the next day I just grabbed a piece of dough the size of a grapefruit and in about an hour, I had a beautiful crusty loaf for lunch.  My second loaf was the smaller, boule shape and it too, as you can see from the photo, came out really well.  KA was right, if you love crusty white bread, fresh from the oven, this recipe is really worth a try.

No-Knead Crusty Bread
Ingredients:
3 cups lukewarm water
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons instant dried yeast
6 1/2 - 7 1/2 cups all purpose KA flour

Directions:

• In a large clean bucket with lid (should fit in your fridge) or mixing bowl, stir the ingredients to a very soft, sticky dough.

• Place lid on the container or cover the bowl and leave to rest on counter for 2 hours.  The dough will rise nearly 3 times in size.

• Set the covered container in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 7 days. Don't worry if the dough  falls, it's supposed to.
• When you're ready to bake some bread, sprinkle the top of the sticky dough heavily with flour.  Grab a handful, the size of a large grapefruit, and  pull the dough under to make a tight ball or log - see video for more info. 

• Sprinkle the top with flour and place on a piece of parchment and leave to rise for 40 - 50 minutes. 
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and place baking stone or baking sheet on middle rack, with shallow metal pan on rack beneath. Have a cup of room temp water ready.
• Slash the bread with a sharp, serrated knife and place the bread with parchment paper on the stone or baking sheet in the hot oven.

• Carefully pour the cup of water into the shallow baking pan under the bread and shut the oven. The steam will help the bread rise.
• Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until deep golden brown or internal temp of 200 degrees F. Cool on wire rack.